Fallacy
by rueri-chan
Summary: When Sasuke finds out Sakura can't bear him a heir he ends it. What he wasn't aware of was the tangled web of deceit and lies that hurts not only Sakura, but himself as well.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: When Sasuke finds out Sakura can't bear him a heir he betrays her. What he wasn't aware of was the tangled web of deceit and lies that hurt not only Sakura, but himself as well.

**Standard Disclaimer applies.**

There are probably many typos that I will catch later, I just wanted to finally get this idea out of my head. So enjoy.

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><p>Chapter 1: Misunderstood<p>

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><p>Wrapped up in warm satin sheets, Sakura smiled as she got ready to start her day. The smell of fresh morning dew and remnants of last nights lovemaking permeated through Sasuke's bedroom, as she lied still with her hands clutching his scent filled pillow. Finally deciding to throw off the black satin in an attempt to get ready, Sakura let out a loud yawn. All too familiar with the layout of the room, she gracefully walked up to the antique armoire and opened the right cabinet. Her medic attire was neatly stacked inside as she grabbed a uniform for work. Sasuke was no where to be seen and Sakura just reminisced about the way it felt to be wrapped up in his arms as the moonlight filled the bleakness of the bedroom. He was warm and filled her with emotion that no man could ever replace in her heart. He had showed her a side of him that she thought had disappeared when he had lost his family.<p>

She paced down the stairs and out the door of Sasuke's apartment and headed to the hospital for her shift. Before heading to her office Sakura stopped for her routine check-up. Ever since Sasuke had gotten back he has implied that he wished to have a family with her, in hopes replacing what was forcibly taken from him. He placed his trust into Sakura, but also his desire to fill the void that exists in her heart whenever he rejected her advances in their younger days.

From the start of there relationship everyone knew how much they belonged to one another, it was believed that Sasuke and Sakura was etched in stone from the very beginning.

For months, they have been trying to have a baby, almost every other day they enjoyed the passion that sex entrails and the emotional connection it creates. And for months, Sakura had gotten the same exact news that, even though their lovemaking was filled with passion and love, it had yet to create a child for the both of them. And as time passed and no child was created, Sakura felt the feeling of dread that lurked in the depths of her heart grew larger as Sasuke drifted away from her.

"Haruno-san, I have your latest test results. Would you like me to place them on your desk?" A woman in a nurse's uniform asked.

"Yumi-chan, there is no need to be so formal, call me Sakura, or Sakura-chan if you prefer. And yes on my desk is fine." Sakura gleefully replied. The young nurse hurriedly placed the manila folder on the edge of Sakura's desk before quietly heading for the door.

Once Sakura heard the click of the door shutting, she gratefully stared at the folder sitting at the edge. Taking a deep breath in, she slowly reached of the folder, holding it still in her hands. Her eyes scanned the plain manila cover from the edge of the folder to the side with the name printed 'Haruno, Sakura'. This had to be the day, Sakura thought, the day that the test results would finally read "Congratulations, you Haruno, Sakura are expecting a child. Here below is a list of your doctor's appointments for the following nine months"

Sakura quickly shut her eyes is anticipation as her hands flipped open the folder. Taking a glance with one eye open, the other shut, she read her fate.

"We are sorry to inform you that the test results have came back negative for pregnancy. Infertility tests are available to woman who are experiencing frequent negative results."

She had taken those infertility tests, three to be precise. But she knew that sometimes these tests made mistakes and were not true. She couldn't be infertile. She just couldn't.

The feeling of dread once again accumulated in her heart and fear over took her mind. What would Sasuke think of her, she thought absentmindedly. However, deep inside Sakura knew the answer to that particular question. If Sasuke really did care for her then this whole ordeal wouldn't matter in the least, and he would still love her even though she wouldn't be able to carry his child.

The walk home to her apartment on the other side of town helped Sakura clear her mind and prepared her for what she was about to tell Sasuke. No matter how many times she played out the words in her head, she couldn't get it right. There was no right way, she thought, to tell the person who loved and believed in you, that you couldn't provide the one thing that they desired the most.

Upon entering her home, Sakura kicked off her boots and fell onto the couch desperately hoping that Sasuke wouldn't show tonight, as she shut her eyes tightly. The ticking of the clock continued it's journey slowly around the circumference of time and soon minutes became hours, and the rush of midnight air turned into morning dusk.

He never did come.

As Sakura rubbed the morning crust from her eyes she came to a realization that she had to come clean with Sasuke and tell him it may not be possible to have a child. Swallowing her fear she exited her living room in search for him, even though the feeling of dread rested in the pit of her stomach.

She had found him in the training ground, ANBU mask on the ground beside the wooden post he was currently training with. It seemed like he was there since the late hours of the night, judging by how his appearance made him seem like he had been dragged through hell and back.

With her eyes set on him she admired his fighting spirit, before reaching out to touch him.

"Sasuke," she whispered, as her arms brushed his shoulder. She watched as his whole body tensed under her touch, and she was taken back by the cold eyes that cut through her as he gazed back.

Gulping she continued, "We need to talk about a few things." Her eyes remained locked on the ground beside his feet, no once did she want to look upon his dark orbs in fear of seeing the disappointment that she knew resided there.

Peering down on her small frame Sasuke muttered a "Like what."

"The baby…I don't think…well it's hard to explain." Sakura murmured her words becoming a jumbled mess. Sasuke completely turned to face her, and his broad shoulders over shadowed her small frame, his appearance completely ragged and disheveled. She knew then and there she couldn't tell him the truth.

She knew that she had to lie.

Shutting his eyes momentarily, he took a deep breath before looking over her.

"Continue." The simplicity of his command didn't surprise Sakura in the least bit, he was a person of simplicity and in this situation she expected no other treatment from him.

" I don't think…I'm ready to have a child yet." Sakura lied. She not once did look in his eyes the fear swelling by the millions in her heart.

"If that's true, then I don't think this relationship is possible." He stated looking directly at her.

The words didn't register in her head quick enough, and once again he turned his back on her and resumed his training. Sakura was deathly still as she watching from behind him as he beat the wooden post with his bare fists. A single tear made it's way down her cheek.

"How could you…," it came out as whispered at first, but then it turned into rage filling her voice. "How could you say something like that! After everything we've been through."

He paid no heed to her, only focusing on how his fists pounded on the old wood.

"Sasuke look at me!", she commanded. When he didn't turn around she roughly grabbed his shoulder to turn him around.

"Look at me and tell me that you didn't mean what you said. Just take it back." Emerald eyes watering.

He looked at her coldly before stating, "You knew from the beginning that this relationship was based on the fact that I need a heir and that I entrusted you with that. So don't expect anything more from this arrangement."

Fury and hurt filled Sakura's words, "So it was just sex for you? Nothing else mattered in the least bit? Tell me, tell me in my face, to my eyes that this year meant nothing, that the love I felt for you didn't mean anything at all."

His calculation gaze didn't wavier and his words blatantly showed his feelings on the subject, "Just because you showed me your love and devotion, does not mean that I held the same feelings."

With more tears rolling down, Sakura felt the fire of hatred begin to kindle at the bottom of her heart. "You lie. You lie, Sasuke," she stated.

"Every time you held me, all those times where you sought my love, I felt it! I felt how you felt my love and compassion and how you returned it with equal endeavor! So don't lie to me!"

He looked at her so indifferently, with no emotion visible on his features. "If you want me to admit it then fine. The emotion you felt Sakura, the love you felt, was a lie. Does that make you feel better, to know I lied you? That I don't want you."

His words burned with each syllable that he pronounced.

"No it can't be true…" she whispered.

"It's the truth, and we could never work. You know how much a heir matters to me and the fact that your willing to give me what I need now means your not what I need."

Something broke inside Sakura, and the feeling of helplessness creped out on her like a virus. His words left cuts on her heart that were sure to scar and never fully heal.

She looked up at him longingly, before saying, "Uchiha Sasuke, I hate you." Her eyes blazed with anger as she turned her back and left the training grounds hoping to keep her composure before she broke down.

What she failed to notice as she left was how Sasuke's eyes bleed red and his fist clenched so tightly he drew blood. And how with one punch he removed the wooden post, that served the training grounds for many years, and turned it into rubble. Most of all, she didn't realize Sasuke knew she lied.

In the confines of her apartment bedroom, Sakura finely let the tears flow freely and the whimpers to be released into the safety of her pillow. She could feel the dampness gather at the corners of her eyes and how they flowed until they created a dampness on her pillow.

How could he tell her all those things? Did he want to hurt her is such a way? Her heart felt torn and longed for his arms to come wrap around her and make her feel safe once again. Her mind on the other hand, was a pit of fury that reminded her of the hurtful things he said and reminded her that true love got past anything. And the fact that Sasuke would let conception interfere with the love between them, then, Sakura thought maybe he really didn't love her to begin with.

Just the thought of Sasuke made her entire body ache, and knowing the fact that nothing she could say or tell him would fix any of this made her ache more. She couldn't give him the heir he needed, but she could give him the love that he was denied, however in the end she found that this was not enough for him.

Love was not enough.

He needed more than words he needed proof. He needed a child. The child that she could not conceive. Burying her face deeper into her pillow she inhaled the faint scent of Sasuke that still lingered and invaded her senses. That night she dreamt of a child with stark midnight hair with the eyes of deep emerald. Her child. Her baby. The baby that would never exist. And in a split second the pleasant dream turned into the harsh reminder of what she could not have and Sakura hoped that this was one nightmare she would never revisit.

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><p>Almost a year had passed between them and not once did they talk. Team 7 was held by a string, and was dangling, so close to breaking. Naruto put his best effort to help his two best friends get pass the differences that lurk between them, but some things just can't be repaired with a few simple words or actions, an idea that Naruto knew all too well. It didn't help that Sasuke was to be married in a few weeks, and Sakura was out on solo missions so frequently not even her mentor, the Hokage, remembered the last time she talked to Sakura.<p>

How long has it been since she last seen Sasuke? Days, weeks, months even? Sakura had nearly forgotten how it was to be within a vicinity of him. But Sakura would never forget the feelings he evoked…the good and the bad.

In her time away from Konoha, Sakura learned that maybe Sasuke wasn't the one for her, and out there somewhere there was a man waiting for her. Holding on to that thought Sakura strived to find the person who would accept her for her, flaws in all.

When she passed thorough Konoha gates for the first time in months, she felt like a stranger. A stranger to a place she called home for the last twenty years for her life. Nothing to her was familiar, and she came to the conclusion that she didn't have a place here, a home. Being out in the forests and wilderness made civilization seem so unnatural and forced. Nothing in this village flowed freely with life and nature, everything had a ragged aura to it.

She had long sold the apartment she called home once she began taking solo missions, her stuff safety packed away in her parent's home. Sakura didn't want to go there just yet, so she wandered the streets of Konoha in the twilight hours of the day just thinking how different life would have been if she had Sasuke.

Passing by the Uchiha district sent tremors down her body, and evoked emotions that she had long since flushed through her systems in the wilderness. She was ready though, at least she thought she was. When she caught sight of that familiar raven-haired shinobi, she stopped dead in her tracks. He was heading home, from a date it seemed. Attached to his arm was a woman, a woman who Sakura knew all to well.

Karin. Her name was like acid on Sakura's tongue. Karin, that was it. No last name. She was brought in after Sasuke had tried to kill both of them. From what Sakura remembered, Karin was a test subject of sorts, with multiple bite wounds on her arms. Karin had the uncanny ability to provide strength and "heal" when others bit her. If you looked closely enough it seemed like Sakura and Karin were alike in ways, both being healers and in love with Sasuke, but yet they were complete opposites at the same time.

Looking over Karin, Sakura felt her heart drop at the realization that something was different with Karin. She belly was swollen with new life.

Impossible. Impossible, Sakura thought. Karin had to be at least six months to be showing that much. Six months meant one thing, and Sakura felt the quick onset of pain and hurt fill her. Her mind knew what was going on, yet her heart refused to believe the facts.

Sasuke had cheated on her.

With jumbled emotions, Sakura felt herself gravitating towards the couple. Soon enough she stood directly behind them, with there backs towards her. Looking closing it seemed like they were meant to be. Sasuke hand his arm around her waist with her arm returning the gesture, as she leaned into his side other arm around her rounded belly. It made Sakura feel something that she wasn't familiar with: hate.

Just because they weren't together anymore, or even taking, didn't mean Sakura was going to let Sasuke get away with what he has done when she thought he was the one she loved. He betrayed her trust in their relationship and he would pay for it.

She would get to the bottom of this jumbled mess, even if it costs her heart.

"Sasuke. How long?"

She was so hurt and angered at the moment, that she didn't care if Karin heard this or not.

And when he didn't respond to her, or look at her for the most part, flashes of red filled Sakura's vision.

"I said, how long?"

When he finally did look at her, his eyes completely void, he glared. "Sakura, leave." And he turned away once more.

"Leave? Really Sasuke? I thought you would know me better than this?" She voice mocking ever so slightly. "You know, I pester until heard."

He didn't want to hear her or answer her, so she grabbed him by the arm and swung him to face her directly. Karin standing idly by his side, with pride engrossing her features.

"You bastard! How could you do this to me with her? Was it that easy to just push me aside and forget me?" Her voice thundering thorough the empty lot. "Forget, how much you meant to me? How many times did you go to her when we were together one, twice, a few times? Was it that easy to leave me to suffer?"

"This doesn't involve-"

"The hell it doesn't! This involves me and you know it." She screamed. "What were you thinking?"

With a glance he looked her dead in the eyes. "I was thinking that you couldn't give me what I needed."

_Slap!_

Sakura stared at her quivering hand, then looked to the redness forming on the side of Sasuke's face.

"So that's all the mattered to you? Your entire freaking life was spent chasing revenge, and all you ever cared about was your clan and your life. Your so fucking selfish Sasuke."

Anger glistened inside of Sasuke. "I'm selfish Sakura? You're the fucking hypocrite."

"When were you ever going to tell me that you couldn't have children? That numerous results told you were infertile?" He accused.

Shock filled Sakura. "How did you-"

"How did I find out? I found out from the least likely of people, Sakura." Fury fuming inside him he continued. "You really want to know? Karin told me, showed me your tests even."

"Those tests, they aren't always accurate. I thought-" She whispered.

"Thought what? That those three tests were void and null? Just look at the facts Sakura, they're staring straight at you." His eyes still cold towards her.

He grabbed Karin's hand, and walked away. Leaving her standing in the dark.

All alone.

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><p>When Sakura woke up to the warm sunlight licking at the features, she knew she had to get up and face her demons. She had lied to Sasuke, and he had every right to betray her. It just hurt to know that nothing could be done to fix what mess she had created. She wanted to talk to him, to explain to him, but she feared that he would be unwilling to listen.<p>

She walked the narrow streets of the marketplace, and found her self sitting on the all to familiar ramen stand stools. From down the street she could already hear, the obnoxious voice of her ever so loud teammate.

"Sakura-chan! When did you get back? How come you haven't come to see me?"

"Life got in the way Naruto." She stirred her ramen as she looked up to catch sight of the blue pools of her best friend's eyes.

"Things keep happening to me, Naruto. And I can't control them. They're tearing me apart and I don't know how long I can take it anymore?"

Sadness filled Naruto, it was that damn Bastard's fault.

"Don't give up. You can't yet. Life too short for you to give up now, Sakura-chan."

She wished that she could accept his words believe them even. "I don't have anything worth fighting for anymore. Nothing is left for me here, I can't even call this place home anymore."

"You'll always have a home here, Sakura-chan, whether you believe me or not. Konoha will always be the place where you belong, there are too many memories here for you to just pick up and leave."

She shook her head. "That's exactly what I want though, can't you see? It's the memories that are killing me, they burn my soul, and burn until even the ash has no place inside me."

He tugged her into a tight hug. 'I need you, Konoha needs you, and even if he won't admit it the Bastard needs you too."

"He has Karin now, Naruto, or did you forget?" Her eyes shut tightly, at the thought of the happy couple.

He gripped her tighter. "Karin may be able to give him a child, but it's you who can provide him love. I've never seen him show any emotion unless he's with you, that's how I knew he loved you."

She untangled herself from their embrace, and looked up at Naruto. "Can he really forgive me for this? For this mess I solely created? For the pain I must have cause him?"

He looked at her solemnly. "That, I don't know. If he does love you, then I'm sure he can forgive you for this, as you forgave him for leaving all those years back and all the hell he put us through. If there is one thing I do know, it's that he loves you, and better Believe It!"

She smiled and reached to hug him again. Now knowing what to do.

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><p>She had found him in the training grounds, the same exact place where those many months ago they had ended. Sakura needed this, she needed closure. She needed forgiveness, and she was hoping that he would be willing to give it to her. For all the pain she caused, she desperately wanted it.<p>

"We need to talk," she started. "We need to fix this thing between us, this mess we've created."

He didn't move, and she was met with silence.

"There is nothing to discuss, Sakura." He responded, as he continued to beat at the new wood anchored to the ground.

"That's where you wrong, there is so much, so much that you don't know, that we need to fix.", she pleaded, "Please, Sasuke."

"Hn."

"Please, I need this." She came to be in front of him, "We need this."

"There is no we."

Hurt, Sakura said, "There will always be a 'we', so long as Team 7 exists."

His fists pounded hard, so similar to their previous conversation in this place. Sakura knew this time around, she wouldn't let fear override her this time and she would ensure that Sasuke heard the truth, no matter the cost. She wouldn't let this mess conflict with her any longer.

"There is more to this then one lie, Sasuke. Don't you want to know why? Then maybe we could fix this," she motioned to the space between her and Sasuke, "fix us."

He stopped his movements, "There can never be an 'us', Sakura. We can't fix past, no matter how hard you try."

He started walking away, and she reached out and took him by the hand swinging him to her front. "You can always heal something, it's not impossible."

He removed his hand from hers roughly. "Either you don't understand, or don't know. We don't have a future."

Sakura stared at him confused, she saw as he noted her expression, and thought for the briefest moment she saw emotion flickering behind his eyes, before it diminished as fast as it came.

"I'm marrying her, Sakura." And with that he left to her wake.

She stood there for a while watching him walk out of her life once more, and thought that was something Naruto definitely didn't bother to mention.

Lest to say, her heart had a few more wounds added to it. She just didn't know how long until it finally shattered…

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><p><strong>Authors note:<strong> Review if you want me to continue. Thank-you.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: When Sasuke finds out Sakura can't bear him a heir he betrays her. What he wasn't aware of was the tangled web of deceit and lies that hurt not only Sakura, but himself as well.

**Standard Disclaimer applies.**

Most likely, your bound to find a typo or two. I don't need a reminder that I'm not perfect, thank you. But I hope that doesn't sway your judgement of the story. This chapter is more of a filler to unanswered questions as well as a door into a more twisted plot. Dare I say kind of boring. Enjoy.

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><p>Chapter 2: Intricacy<p>

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><p>Waking up in her bedroom was such an unusual feeling compared to the numerous mornings where she had woken up in the wild. Eyes gazed at the plain canopy of her bed, and she wished that it was the seamless blue sky that she was so use to seeing. Nothing was anything like she was use to seeing it seemed.<p>

"_I'm marrying her, Sakura"_

Those words rang through her head like a broken record. So he did forget, or rather pushed aside whatever he had felt for her. Sakura knew deep down that she shouldn't have expected much from the boy who had left her behind, but over the past months that they had been together she had knew something inside him had changed. He had changed. He had began to feel for her the way she had felt for him. But, as soon as a child came into question, Sakura had felt that the leap she taken with Sasuke had been in vain, as she was placed back at the beginning once more.

Her childhood bedroom reminded her of the silly things she thought she wanted when she grew up. To the canopy bed, that made her feel like a princess who was waiting for prince charming, to the vanity table that reminded Sakura how hard she tried to be beautiful, and to the closet full of clothes, that she thought would impress others. Shaking her head of the silly notions, Sakura shoved the covers away and made her way into town. Not once looking back into the fantasy that was once her childhood.

Why? Why, was the one thing Sakura couldn't just leave behind. What was his reasoning as to all these things that just kept on piling on top of them. Sasuke must have had his reasons as to take it as far as fidelity, but nothing added up. He was never suppose to know about those tests. Being the head medic and all, Sakura knew all about doctor-patient confidentiality, so why were her results exposed? She administered the test to herself, so she was the only one who could see the documents. It just made no sense, but Sakura knew that one person could help her figure this out.

As Sakura entered the Hokage's office, she felt a mixture of nervousness and fear. She hadn't seen nor talked to her shishou in months, and Sakura didn't know how Tsunade would react to her.

Calmly approaching the desk, she noted, as always, Tsunade was out cold behind her desk. Her mentors head resting on a pile of papers as drool lightly gathered at the corners of her mouth.

Sakura nudged Tsunade lightly. "Shishou."

Greeted with incoherent murmuring Sakura shook her shoulder a little harder. "Shishou."

Fluttering one eye open, Tsunade muttered, "What did you want, Sakura?"

"Answers." The Hokage's eyes shot open as soon as the words left Sakura's lips.

"Shishou, I think there is someone leaking files from the hospital, and-"

"I know."

Sakura's eyebrows tensed in shock. "You know? How, why? What has happened since I was gone, shishou? What's happening?"

Sitting up straight, Tsunade stretched her arms above her head. "A spy, Sakura," she yawned. " My best guest is that it's someone who has no allegiance to Konoha, and won't be affected by another war."

Sakura caught on quickly, and look at her former mentor seriously. "They've been leaking more than just medical records, haven't they shishou?"

Tsunade nodded, and wished Sakura knew how much information was actually out there about Konoha.

"At first, I assumed that it must have been the Root who were leaking information, with Danzo dead and all, but then Sai reminded me of the seal that is kept on their tongues, so it would make it nearly impossible for them to speak up." Tsunade inquired.

"If not Root, then who?"

"Then who, exactly. No one knows, or are either too scared to speak up." Tsunade shook her head, what has the village come to, she thought.

Revelations crossed Sakura's mind, as if things that once made her head spin were suddenly clear with a new clarity. She knew she could no longer be stuck on the mess that was her life, but rather live for what she wanted: to help others. To accomplish this, she had to give into reason and grow to be someone that would be able to complete these goals. Although she has grown into a strong, valuable addition to the village, staying in one spot helps no one. She wanted to be out in the field living a dangerous, wild, and spontaneous life. She wanted each day to be new, each day spent to have helped an unfamiliar face. That's where she truly needed to be.

Konoha didn't need another medic who wallowed the hospital, they needed a field medic to be out there and reach out to others, and Sakura was just the person to do this. She had nothing to tie her down anymore. She had no relationship, no marriage, and no Sasuke. Her parents would understand her choice and eventually support her decisions, at least they would understand.

The more Sakura thought on this, her heart was healing the deep cracks that were embedded into it, but little fissures were still forming. Swallowing slowly, she looked out the window of her shishou's window and saw Konoha, her home. She was doing this for Konoha, for Naruto, for Ino, for all her friends that suffered through the war. Anything, Sakura reminded herself, anything for them.

"Shishou, I have a proposition." The gleam of determination evident in Sakura eyes.

Tsunade stared at her student, this Sakura was much different than the one that walked in moments ago. It was as if she had hit a realization, was fixated on ensuring that it would be accomplished. The Sakura that walked in was set on discovering the answer to her own problem, but this Sakura wanted to help fix other's problems.

She was proud of her student, she finally discovered what it means to be a true medic.

"Go on."

"It might seem a little out crazy, shishou, but please just listen," when her teacher didn't respond, Sakura continued, "I want to be placed on a team."

"Sakura, your already apart of team 7, I can't just change you." Tsunade said, eyebrows contorted in confusion.

"Not just any team, but an ANBU team."

"Sak-"

"Don't 'Sakura' me, shishou, I've lived too long pining after useless things. I think it's time I finally grew up from that teenage Sakura who thought she could save the world. I know now, that you can't save everyone, so why should I spend my time saving people who just don't want to be saved."

"Sakura, I respect your decision, and you know that as your mentor I need to advise you to do what's best in my aspect," She looked Sakura directly in the eyes before stating, "I need to know what's brought on this sudden need to be out there. This urgency that I have only seen you exhibit once before, and if it's about that dam forsaken Uchiha again, God help me."

Sakura saw concern her teacher's amber eyes. She needed assurance, and assurance is what she was going to get.

"I would be lying if I said that Sasuke had no part in this," determination rolled off of Sakura in waves, "but, I'm not doing this for him. I'm not doing this to impress him, or prove I'm worthy enough to be his, I think I spent too much timing attempting to have him notice me."

Sakura let out a laugh, before she continued, "I'm doing this for my village, to prove to them that I'm able to protect them and shelter them as a real medic would. I realized my life is better spent proving myself to people that matter, rather than those who could care less."

Tsunade reached over across her desk, and pulled Sakura into tight hug. "I'm proud of you Sakura, more than you could ever know."

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><p>As Sakura prepared her pack, she caught a glimpse of the worn photo frame that held the iconic picture of Team 7. It wasn't like she leaving them behind, but rather doing this for them. If that was true, why did Sakura get the sick feeling like she was running away from her problems? She wanted this because she could help discover who was leaking the information, she didn't want this just because she wanted to be away from here, right?<p>

The beeping of her alarm brought her out of her mindless wondering. She had to meet up at the Hokage's office to meet the team she was going to be dispatched with. She hoped that she would know a few of the ninja that she was going to be with all day for probably a year or so. Meeting with a new team was not what Sakura was nervous about. It was breaking the news to her friends and Team 7 that filled her with dread and drove her to a whole new level of anxiety.

What would they think of her? Would she regret this decision? No, No she wouldn't, if they couldn't understand her reasons, then she had no choice but to leave them in the dark.

Sakura felt relatively at ease when she discover Tsunade's office to be empty, save for the sleeping sannin and TonTon who was pleasantly oinking in her sleep. Sakura smiled at the image of Tsunade and TonTon, the resemblance was uncanny.

Instead of waking up her dear shishou, Sakura decided meeting her teammates could wait. It wasn't like they were on time anyways. They would call her when everything was ready.

It was late in the afternoon, nearly evening, when a messenger told Sakura to report to the Hokage's office. The messenger had said the meeting was urgent, and she should get there as soon as possible.

Sakura felt a little worried because normally meeting a new team wasn't this urgent, so must have meant something horrible had occured. Sakura didn't like the feeling that was creeping up on her either, she knew that something much more serious must have taken place in the last few hours.

Upon entering the office, Sakura took note that the entire Konoha 11, minus Naruto were there. Sasuke, she noted, was also absent.

"All of you must be wondering what your all doing here," Tsunade started. "and I must admit, I wish it was under different circumstances that you were all brought to me. However Konoha is in a state of security, and all ninja must be accounted for."

Panic swept the room, and each person looked to another nervously seeking answers, as well as to check to see who was missing.

"This state of security that we're in, has grown more serious in the last few months and has been harder to contain. At first I thought, as Hokage, I could solely figure out the breech using my most highly regarded ANBU, but I soon discovered that not everyone here in Konoha is too be trusted."

"What are you talking about Tsunade-sama?" inquired Neji, obviously confused by the news. "Being apart of the Hyuuga Clan, who leads the surveillance around Konoha, why is it that we know nothing of the outbreak?"

"That is exactly what confuses me, Neji." replied Tsunade, "If I hadn't made Shizune keep tabs on the scrolls and records inside Konoha, we might have never realized that Konoha's most valuable secrets are being exposed to other villages."

"So why are we all here?" drawled Shikamaru.

"I wanted to inform you first hand of the problem, but the worse news is yet to come.", Tsunade shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Being our best tracker, I sent out Hatake Kakashi late last night to follow up on a weird sighting near the outskirts of our village. The caller had stated that they saw a caravan of rouge ninjas with very old looking large scrolls, as well as boxes of documents that held Konoha's emblem. I told Kakashi to identify the ninja and then to report back to me."

Sakura felt a horrible sensation crawling up the base of her spine, like someone had taken out her lungs and she couldn't breathe.

"I'm afraid to report that Kakashi hasn't responded back to any messages I've sent him in the last 24 hors, and not even Pakkun can reach him. As much as I hate to admit it, I believe Kakashi has been captured."

No, was the first word that invaded Sakura's head, before her eyes blazed and became watery, and all you saw was her whispering "No, no, no, this can't happen…sensei."

Tsunade felt her heart pang as she saw her student fight the emotions that were clearly evident on her face. I'm so sorry Sakura, she thought.

Ino reached out to her best friend and held her as Tsunade continued.

"I've sent Naruto and Sasuke, along with a few ANBU and Root teams, to patrol the perimeter. They should be back at sun down. As of right now, I'm asking you, as the Hokage of this village, to keep your eyes peeled and don't let anyone get the best of you. I will be assembling a retrieval team tomorrow morning so keep your heads up for a messenger. Dismissed."

As they filed out of the office, all Sakura could think about was how much worse could the situation get.

* * *

><p>Being at the bar reminded Sakura of the time Kakashi took her out for her birthday last year. Even though she was a little young to be drinking, her sensei still passed her own bottle of sake. He had told her ninjas age faster.<p>

She still remember the way his eyes creased as he smiled at her when he slid the bottle in her direction, and the way he winked when he handed her, her own copy of the special edition of Icha Icha Tactics. She smiled bitterly, when she thought of how she had punched him through the wall for giving her such a thing in public, but then laughed when she remember how Kakashi got off the ground and pouted, "Mou, Sakura-chan. Your so mean to your old sensei."

She missed him so much, and she just wished that he'd walk through the bar's door with Genma, or even see her in the morning at the training ground with his little orange book in tow.

But at the back of her mind she was reminded that she might never see him again, and desperately, Sakura tried to brush that out of her mind, but she couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that took over and paralyzed her. First Sasuke, now sensei?

She glanced down at the shot glasses, and empty cups of sake, down to the half-empty bottle that resided next her like a best friend would. Everything in her life was a jumbled mess and as much as it killed her, she could blame no one. This wasn't anyone's fault, if she should blame anything she should blame fate. Fate for making her life hell, and taking away the things she cared for the most.

It was dark when Sakura drunkenly stepped outside. The wind tore through her like a whip and she grasped her arms together to keep them warm. How long had she been at the bar? What time was it? All she remembered was it was light out when she started her drunken spiral, and now she could barely see through the pitch black of the night.

The last time she had been this disorientated was when she didn't have anything to eat for a week during a mission. She wasn't use to having her senses being this muddy. Her vision was blurry and it looked like the street in front of her was rocking to and fro.

"That's her, that's the girl." Sakura barely made out the whisper, but her ninja training told her she wasn't alone, and these people were looking for her.

Panic invaded, and Sakura quickly stumbled down the street in vain attempt to reach her parent's house.

"This is our chance, let's get her."

That made Sakura run as fast her body would allow. She was sprinting blindly through the dark, unaware of her surroundings.

She knew she just had to get somewhere safe, where people were. Why, was there no one here for her, no one to save her?

She rounded a corner and collided with a warm body.

"Sakura, what are you doing?"

She stumbled back, and glanced into cold onyx. Sasuke.

"People…after me, I…I don't know…" she words came out scrambled and wrecked.

Sasuke took her in her ragged appearance and the dark circle that had already began to form. His eyes bled into scarlet.

"There's no one there Sakura." he said as he scanned the perimeter using the Sharingan.

"Are you drunk?" he added.

Sakura stood straight and caught her breath a few times, before loosing her footing. "Maybe just a little."

Sasuke grasped her shoulders to keep her from hitting the concrete.

"It's dangerous out here, didn't you go to the Hokage's meeting? Konoha isn't safe right now."

Sakura felt angry. She knew that she shouldn't be upset by what Sasuke had said, because it was true, Konoha wasn't safe. But why did he have to act like he cared?

She pushed his arms away from her, "Don't act like you care Sasuke. Because we both know you could care less about what happens to poor little Sakura."

Sasuke glared, "Is that what you really think?"

She glared back.

"It's not like you've given me any room to disagree. I bet you were just fishing for a reason to leave me. I knew that I couldn't give you a family, but I thought that maybe, just maybe my love was enough for you." Sakura felt her emotions make a whirlpool.

"It won't ever be enough, will it Sasuke?" She looked into the scarlet of his eyes, and saw a conflict of emotions. Maybe it was because she was drunk, but Sakura could of sworn she saw sadness or was it disappointment?

"Just forget it. Forget all of it. I'll leave you alone now, Sasuke, just make sure you return the favor."

Sasuke looked at her. The red of his eyes fading to black.

"You'll never get it Sakura. You'll never fully understand how things work in this world. Just get home, I don't want to have to report this to the Hokage."

He walked passed her, and she walked pass him, not once did they look back at one another.

* * *

><p>It was 2 AM when she received the call to report to the Hokage. The stench of alcohol still reeked from her, and Sasuke's words were still imprinted in her mind. She would never understand why Sasuke did things, or what they meant. At times she wondered if she would ever understand the words behind his actions.<p>

"Sakura, you look like a mess."

"Nice to see you to shishou." she replied sarcastically.

"Ugly, you look particularly ugly today." Sai smiled.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Sakura said obviously aggravated, while she rubbed her temples.

"You said you wanted to join an ANBU team, well meet one of your partners."

Sakura look from Sai to Tsunade. "You're joking right."

Tsunade looked at her sternly, "Kakashi is missing Sakura, this is no joke."

"Sorry shishou."

"It's fine, Sakura." Tsunade took a swig of sake then began, "I decided to exclude Naruto from this mission because it's too risky with him having the nine-tailed fox inside him and all the people who must have him #1 on their hit list."

"So it will be you, Sai, and-" The door to the office was pushed open.

"Sasuke." Sakura and Tsunade said simultaneously.

"Uchiha, meet your new team, Sai and Sakura. As a team you will need to retrieve Hatake, Kakashi. You leave at sunrise, dismissed."

"I decline." stated Sasuke.

Sakura looked at him incredulously.

"You can't decline a mission Uchiha." Tsunade glared.

"I have duties to my clan, that must keep me here." Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing, was he talking about Karin?

"Must I remind you whose life is at stake here?" Tsunade inquired.

"I'm aware of whom is missing, but my clan comes first. That should not come as a surprise." And then Sasuke left, leaving the three people in room to wonder how ridiculous he was acting.

Without thinking Sakura stormed out to reach Sasuke. Beyond furious.

She grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She has had enough of Sasuke, and his stupid choices. She would make him see what he was about to do was wrong. Abandoning them was not a path she would let him take willingly.

Kakashi-sensei was too important to be abandoned like this.

When he didn't speak she did.

"How could you just leave like that?" She began screaming. "I knew you had no feelings, but isn't this a bit much? Is it that simple to just let our sensei suffer and die like that?"

"You don't know what your saying Sakura."

She pushed him, and he staggered backwards.

He glared at her. "Just leave me alone, like you said you would."

"The hell I will. This is our sensei we're talking about!"

"Your sensei Sakura. Naruto's sensei. He was never a sensei of mine." he stated calmly.

"He will always be you sensei, no matter if you acknowledge it or not."

"Hn"

"And now you just going to leave him. Abandon him. All for a stupid girl-"

His eyes turned crimson and narrowed. "That girl is my fiancée, whether you like-"

"Just stop!"

Sakura felt her insides twist and turn unpleasantly.

"Just stop…You never did care did you Sasuke. Kakashi-sensei believed in you." Sakura turned even more furious.

"And all you can think about is Karin and your clan, it has to always be about you doesn't it?"

She shoved him yet again.

"Doesn't it?"

"A family, a clan isn't something you can give me. You can bear no child of mine." he said bitterly.

She felt a pang in her chest and paled, being reminded hurts doesn't it.

"We were never meant to be."

She remained still.

"Karin is offering me what you can never give me. I need her."

Sakura's eyes slid shut, and she whispered, "But you betrayed me. Betrayed me with her, cheated." She swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in her throat. "You slept with her when you knew I was waiting for you to come home to me, when you knew that I was dying inside because I knew that I couldn't give you what you wanted." She looked at the crimson that dominated his features. "And now your going to abandon the one family that stood by you for your own selfishness. I don't know you anymore Sasuke"

She didn't realize how close they were, or how the proximity between then almost held no barrier.

He stared into her eyes.

"Let it go, Sakura. It's over and done with. You know I never cared."

Somehow, Sakura thought that they weren't just talking about Kakashi-sensei anymore.

She pulled away from him, "I know it's over. Just don't let this cloud your vision on what's right."

His eyes downgraded to black once more, and he watched her back fading in the distance until she disappeared from his line of sight. He looked up into the endless sky, to the heavens, and couldn't shake off the feeling that he had disappointed much more than just Sakura that day.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors note: <strong>Thanks to those that reviewed. As a reminder review if you want me to continue. Thank-you.


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